#DisneyFamilia: Sabores from Florida!

Returning this year to the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival is the Florida Fresh Outdoor Kitchen, inspired by the fresh and amazing food that we have here in the Sunshine State!

Located between the Morocco and France pavilions, Florida Fresh features a delicious carne guisada with a black bean cake and cilantro-lime sour cream; a spicy blackened shrimp and cheddar cheese grits with brown gravy and local sweet corn relish as well as a key lime tart with toasted meringue to satisfy all of those sweet and savory cravings.

If you're looking for something refreshing on a sunny day, you can enjoy fantastic beverages like a key lime sparkling wine from Florida Orange Groves Winery (St. Petersburg, FL); a quat seasonal fruit ale from Tampa Bay Brewing Company (Tampa, FL); a monarch milk stout from First Magnitude Brewing Co. (Gainesville, FL) and a watermelon cucumber slushy with Tamiami Florida Gin, among other options.

Just talking about this makes me hungry! If you can't get to Epcot fast enough, here's the deliciosa recipe for the carne guisada that you can make right at home:

Serves 4

BLACK BEAN CAKES
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 small white onion, diced
1/2 medium red bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium green pepper, diced
1 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 (14.5 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 chipotle peppers, chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 cups corn flour

FOR CARNE ASADA
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound cooked beef brisket, shredded
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

TOMATO RELISH
2 medium red tomatoes, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

CILANTRO SOUR CREAM
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

GARNISH
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

FOR BLACK BEAN CAKE:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat until hot. Add onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper and sauté for 5 minutes, until tender.
2. Stir in garlic and cumin, cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Stir in black beans and chipotle peppers, mashing with a fork. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Mix in quinoa and corn flour.
5. Divide into 4 balls and flatten to make patties.
6. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan until hot.
7. Cook black bean patties for 3 minutes on each side, until crispy.
8. Keep warm until ready to serve.

FOR CARNE ASADA:

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, until hot. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper, and sauté until tender.
2. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes.
3. Add the cooked brisket, bay leaf, green onions, and chopped cilantro.
4. Keep warm until ready to serve.

FOR TOMATO RELISH:

1. Combine tomato, red onion, parsley, olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

FOR CILANTRO SOUR CREAM:

1. Mix sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, and salt in a small mixing bowl.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

TO SERVE:

1. Place 1 seared black bean cake on each plate. Top with 1/2 cup of the carne asada.
2. Top with tomato relish and cilantro sour cream.
3. Garnish with additional cilantro.

The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival runs now through May 28. For more information, check out epcotinspring.com.